Bridging the Gap
by Sutoriitoenzeru-Street Angel
Summary: AU-swap Yondaime is alive, Itachi didn't slaughter his clan and is instead Naruto's sensei, Sakura is his girlfriend. Naruto has the perfect life right? Not when he wakes up in the canon world and canon Naruto is back in his.
1. Prologue

**I know I probably shouldn't be starting a new fic when about half of the one's I've started are unfinished but hey, when an idea strikes I like to put it up. That way it joins the plot pool so even if I don't finish it or even while I'm still writing it someone will take the basic framework of the plot and write their own adaptation. :D**

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Naruto, the number one unpredictable ninja and self-proclaimed future Hokage of the leaf ninja village Konohakagure was currently slumbering rather peacefully against a tree on the outskirts of one of Konoha's many training grounds.

"Naruto," a voice called out.

The blonde slumbered on completely unaware of the approaching figure.

"Naruto," the voice called again, closer now.

This time the blonde stirred, his closed eyelids flickering slightly as if to symbolise some internal struggle with consciousness.

"Naruto!"

A shadow fell over Naruto's face as the figure leaned over him.

Naruto's eyelids flickered one last time before opening slowly. His bright blue eyes blinked in confusion as his half-asleep mind tried to process the figure standing over him. Lit from behind the figure's face was cast in shadow, his long dark hair was tied at the base of his neck. At first Naruto thought it might be Sasuke, the dark hair and pale skin being two of the features he most remembered about his ex-team-mate. But Sasuke didn't wear his hair long, and then it dawned on Naruto exactly who it was.

A man Naruto had met twice before, one in the flesh and the other time had been a clone.

Itachi Uchiha.

Naruto's hand dived for the pouch at his thigh and in the next instant three kunai were flying towards Itachi and Naruto was crouched ready to spring. Itachi jumped back deflecting all three kunai with one of his own. Itachi's dark swirled red, his eyes now able to detect and copy exactly the slightest movement.

Itachi threw his kunai at Naruto. The blonde dodged to the side as the kunai embedded itself in the tree behind with a loud thunk.

"Fire style; grand fireball no jutsu." Itachi formed the hand signs in the blink of eye and exhaled a huge ball of fire in Naruto's directed. The smaller ninja gave a cry of dismay as he and the tree were engulfed in flames. A loud popping sound was heard as the clone disappeared.

"What the-" Itachi murmured to himself but didn't have time to contemplate further as a loud cry of "_Rasengan!"_ came from behind him. Itachi spun around the meet the swirling ball of vicious chakra head on and vanished with a pop when it made contact. Naruto cast about wildly and spotted Itachi at the last minute as the elder Uchiha planted an elbow into the back of his neck. His vision swam and he fell into blackness.

Itachi stood standing over the unconscious form of the boy in wonder. When had he learned the shadow clone jutsu? And more importantly…when had the Hokage taught him the rasengan?

Tsunade paused mid-yell when she noticed the person striding up the corridor. Tsunade turned to face him, "Hokage-sama," she greeted with a slight bow.

"Thank-you Tsunade-san, what's my son done now?" Minato asked.

"It's not what he'd done per say, Ibiki has seen fit to have him locked up in the interrogation chamber for the past hour and won't tell me why!" Tsunade fumed.

"I thought it best to wait for your arrival Hokage-sama," Ibiki intoned, "as it pertains to your son."

"What happened?" Minato asked his brow furrowing in confusion.

"I believe your son has been replaced by an impostor," Itachi said, "he attacked me."

"I heard you left him to pay at a ramen stand, I'm not surprised," Minato grinned at Itachi.

"No, he really attacked me, he tried to kill using an a-class technique," Itachi explained dead-panned.

"What technique?" Minato asked confused, "he doesn't know any a-rank techniques, he's only been a chunin for a month, what have you been teaching him?"

"I should be asked you that sir. The technique he used was a rasengan trained to the third level."

Minato reeled, "What? That can't be right; you must have mistaken it for a different technique."

Itachi was less than amused, having the sharingan he'd been able to memorise dozens of techniques. To be accused of confusing one technique with another was bordering on an insult. "Sir, if I didn't have my sharingan I would have been torn to pieces, and I've seen your rasengan, it was the same," Itachi replied.

Minato's eyes widened, "I want to see him."

"I don't think that's wise sir," Ibiki cautioned, "he may be…"

Minato cut him off, "You will do as you're ordered!" The normally cheerful face of the fourth was cold and sharp, every inch the leader that the village looked up to.

"Yes sir," Ibiki bowed and opened the door to the chamber where Naruto was being held.

Minato walked in to see the form a blonde boy the spitting image of his son tied down to a chair and his blue eyes glazed over as if he was in a trance. The room itself was small, the only furniture being the chair that the boy was strapped to. Paper seals decorated the walls, the purposes many and all angled towards one goal, extracting information as efficiently as possible.

"What's the matter with him?" Minato asked turning to look at Ibiki over his shoulder.

"He's under genjutsu sir to keep him subdued, it also forbids him from saying anything but the truth," Ibiki explained.

"So if I ask him a question, he has to answer truthfully?" Minato asked and Ibiki nodded. "What have you asked him so far?"

"Nothing sir," Ibiki replied, "I thought it best to wait till you got here."

Minato nodded in understanding and took a few steps forward until he was standing in front of Naruto.

"Who are you?" Minato enunciated never breaking eye contact with the eyes that were so like his own and so like his sons.

"Naruto Uzumaki," Naruto replied dead-panned and expressionless.

Tsunade and Itachi had stepped into the room, Tsunade's eyes narrowed in confusion, "Uzumaki?" she repeated, "wasn't that Kushina's maiden name?"

"Odd," Minato said thoughtfully, "you'd think they'd at least get the name right," Minato turned back to Naruto. "Who sent you?"

"Sent me?" Naruto asked, "Where am I?"

"Fair question," Ibiki said from behind Itachi.

"You're currently being held in Konoha in the Land of the Fire, where are you from?"

"Konoha, in the Land of the Fire."

"That's what I just said, now where are you from?" Minato repeated his tone a little angry now.

"Konoha, in the Land of Fire date be yo."

"Why does he keep saying that?" Minato demanded, raking a hand through his bright yellow hair in frustration.

"I think that's his answer," Ibiki said, "he willingly lie under the genjutsu."

"But the genjutsu only allows him to say what he thinks is the truth," Tsunade said and Minato looked at her in confusion so she went on, "if he's been brainwashed into believing that he _is_ Naruto from Konoha then that's what his answer will be."

Minato nodded, "Who are you working for?" he asked Naruto.

"I work for Tsunade-baa-chan," Naruto replied.

"WHAT DID HE CALL ME?!" Tsunade roared and made to punch to boy but Itachi held her back with a hand on her arm.

Minato sighed, "This clearly isn't working. Release the genjutsu Ibiki, maybe we'll get more out of him if he can lie."

"Yes sir," Ibiki nodded and performed the necessary hand-signs.

The light returned to Naruto's eyes and he shook his head as this would dislodge the cobwebs clouding his mind. He blinked and tried to pull his arms and legs free of their restraints with a grunt. Then he realised he wasn't alone. Naruto looked up to see three familiar faces and one he had only seen carved in stone.

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**This was co-written with my boyfriend so if the writing style seems different...you know why. Enjoy people :D and wish me luck as I have a maths exam in a week and a half :D**


	2. Chapter 1: Interigation

**Review Responses :-**

tatewaki2000 - Tada

Aiko Enomoto - And where might you think it is heading?

killroy777 - Plox?

Kikilala - Yay

meni tears - Naruto's reaction to Yondaime, when he realises exactly who Yondaime is won't be till next chapter but glad you liked the reaction to Itachi.

Wonderfoal - Thanks

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"Tsunade-baa-chan, what's going on? Why is that bastard from Akatsuki here? Where's Sasuke? Did he come back?" Naruto in his confused and almost half-drugged state babbled on unable to control the questions that poured out of him.

"I'm sorry," Tsunade said, "but we don't know what you're talking about, we want to know who you are and what you've done with the real Naruto."

"The real Naruto? But I am the real Naruto, what is this?" Naruto began to struggle even more violently before, his muscles straining against his bonds until finally which a wrenching snap his right arm came free. His hand immediately moved for the pouch at his thigh but in the moment of confusion Naruto suffered at its absence Minato had moved forward quick as a flash and slammed his palm into Naruto's chest. Naruto gave a spluttering cough and collapsed forward, half hanging off of the chair in a dead feint.

"Tsunade," Minato said, his voice low and his gaze not meeting hers, "I want you to do a full medical analysis; I want to find out exactly what this thing is."

"Yes sir," Tsunade replied swallowing hard. The cold exterior of the man before her who was usually so warm and friendly was frightening and a little sad. It must be hard on him after all, to be looking at something that looked and claimed to be his son Naruto, although, now that she thought about it…the boy, if he really was human, had never said he was Minato's son.

"Itachi," Tsunade turned to look at the stoic Uchiha, "would you take him to the hospital for me?"

Itachi gave a nod and picked Naruto's limp body up by the back of his collar. "Itachi, before you go," Minato said and Itachi looked up at him, "and this goes for you two as well, no one else is to know of this until we've found exactly what this thing is. Most importantly, Kushina mustn't find out."

"I understand Hokage-sama," Itachi replied and then he vanished.

"Ibiki, thank-you for your help," Minato said quietly.

Ibiki nodded and left leaving Tsunade and Minato alone in the room. "Minato, are you alright?"

Minato refused to turn to face Tsunade. His voice cracked "I'm worried for my son. I don't know what's happened to him and I have no way of protecting him"

Tsunade's gaze was downcast, "Don't you think you been protecting him long enough Minato?" she asked sadly. "You know that being a ninja is a dangerous life and you even sanctioned his promotion to the chunin rank. You know that his life is dangerous and more importantly, you know that he can't look to you forever, he's got to learn to stand on his own."

Minato sighed. He turned around with his usual grin on his face. He laughed, "I know but that doesn't make it any easier." Minato then strode out of the room, Tsunade pretended to not notice Minato's wet eyes.

Tsunade had been up most of the night pouring over various texts, performing all the tests she could think of. Usually, by sampling the fat and muscle cells of a ninja it could be determined their country of origin due to certain adaptations of those cells. She'd run the tests a second time to confirm her results, hoping more to find a mistake in her original execution than more evidence to confirm it, then again and again and again. Ten times and all with the same result, this boy, impossible though it was…from Konoha…or at least the Land of Fire.

But if what Itachi had said was true then the boy obviously possessed some skill, he was a ninja and nothing indicated that he had been trained anywhere other than the Fire country which meant he had to have been trained in Konoha. But why would anyone do this? To blackmail the Hokage? Were they planning on using this clone to fool the village and ransom the real Naruto? Thinking about what this thing meant was driving her round the bend almost as much as the tests.

He seemed to be a normal human, he seemed to be everything he claimed he was but there were strange abnormalities that no text book and none of Tsunade's experience could explain. Slight differences in the cells, right down to the DNA.

"Hokage-sama?"

"Come in Kakashi," Minato said as he beckoned the figure in the doorway to come further into the room. The events of yesterday had haunted the blonde haired Hokage all the previous evening leaving him unable to get a decent night's sleep. Kushina had worried about him and asked after their son, he'd said he was on a mission but that excuse wouldn't last long on her, she always had been able to see right through him.

Kakashi moved into the room and closed the door behind him. He pushed his dog anbu mask up and to the side making his silver hair look even more lopsided. "What's wrong sir? You said it was urgent."

Minato laced his fingers together and leaned his chin on them propping his elbows up on the desk. "It's about my son," Minato began, "he's missing."

"Missing sir?"

Minato explained the events of yesterday starting with what Itachi had told him up to and including the interview. He didn't include the conversation he'd had with Tsunade, he had his own way of dealing with things and telling Kakashi at this moment wasn't one of them.

"Hm," Kakashi made a sound of thoughtfulness, "you said he mentioned Sasuke, why would he do that?"

"I don't know," Minato's brow furrowed, "I asked Tsunade to do a thorough medical examination to find out where he came from. If someone is capable of brainwashing someone into thinking they're my son and getting that someone into the village without anyone noticing then we have a problem on our hands."

"Do you want me to try and find out about this sir?" Kakashi asked, not entirely sure at this point what he had been called to do.

"No, I want you to watch him. I can't keep him locked up forever and Kushina will start asking questions if Naruto is _on a mission_ for too long."

"You mean you intend to let him run free?" Kakashi asked astounded.

"I won't have much choice, perhaps we can make a deal with him, if he gives us information as to where he's come from and what his purpose was then maybe we can give him a new life here," Minato said thoughtfully.

Kakashi raked a hand through his hair, "You always were compassionate sensei."

"I'm just worried about my son. I want you to get a group of your most trusted men and look for my son. I don't care how far they have to travel or how long it takes, I want my son found. You're dismissed," Minato gave a wave towards the door and Kakashi bowed, turning to leave when the door was flung open.

Tsunade was standing there, he green coat billowing slightly, "Hokage-sama, I think I know where your son is."

Minato was on his feet in an instant his fists gripping the edge of the desk so hard his knuckles turned white, "Where?"

Kakashi looked between the Hokage and Tsunade and decided to wait before sending a search party out.

"Another dimension," Tsunade proclaimed, an odd smile on her lips, half triumphant, half sad.

"A what?" Minato spluttered his expression faltering.

"It would explain the differences," Tsunade replied.

"What differences? Tsunade this is crazy talk," Minato pressed a hand to his head, his jaw clenching hard.

"I checked his DNA against yours and Kushina's it's a near perfect match, there are just a few oddities in the original DNA from both you and her that are consistent in this Naruto's DNA when compared with ours," Tsunade babbled, Minato was looking even more confused. He had not become Hokage to listen to medical talk.

"Just get to the point Tsunade," he groaned.

"Well he knows the rasengan, he was talking about Sasuke and everything right down to the smallest molecules that make up his existence says he comes from Konoha in the Land of Fire. He is who he says he is and the whisker marks on his face. If you don't believe me Hokage-sama then you can test the seal yourself. It's not the same seal, not exactly, but it's very similar," Tsunade explained.

"This doesn't make any sense Tsunade, what are you basing this crazy theory on?" Minato demanded, his temper flaring now.

"Summons," Tsunade stated simply and Minato blinked in surprise, "we conjure them up from another dimension. Jiraiya…" she paused and a sad look flittered across her face, "went there once. Presumably, if we can summon them from another dimension then there are other dimensions beyond our own and somehow. I can't even begin to fathom how, but somehow, this Naruto had crossed over and traded places with the Naruto of our dimension."

Minato looked at her in shock, fear, amazement and so many other emotions. She felt sorry for him, at first he'd thought his son was within reach even if he'd have to send out the whole of Konoha to look for him. To think that he may be in another dimension, something unheard of, something impossible and something far beyond reach must have been terrifying.

"I know it seems like an insane idea, I hardly believe it myself but it would fit and no one could clone the nine-tailed-fox and it's in there. Check for yourself and you'll see Minato. Maybe if we talk to him, explain then maybe he can tell us how he got here. Maybe this is common for people in his dimension and we'll have your son, your _Naruto,_ back before you know it."

Minato swallowed hard and stood up straight, "Take me to him, Kakashi come with us."

Kakashi nodded and with that the three of them made their way to Konoha hospital.

Itachi hadn't felt this shocked in a long time, after becoming an anbu captain at the age of thirteen there was very little left that shocked him. But this had. He'd seen his student sleeping against the tree; the lazy thing. The Hokage had been worried that Naruto wasn't really ready to take on the responsibilities of being a chunin and so had asked Itachi to give him some private training. He'd been going to meet Naruto for their first session that very afternoon.

He remembered when they were twelve, Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke. His brother hadn't been happy at having his older brother for a sensei and he'd pushed himself so hard but it had all got on top of him. Compared to Itachi Sasuke was slow and dim witted and although Itachi had noticed how much his brother improved day-by-day it wasn't enough for their father.

Itachi was the pride of the Uchiha clan, the closest in power to his ancestor Madara, a man who fought the first Hokage to a stand still. It was whispered amongst his clan that Madara had had a secret technique that unlocked the true potential of the sharingan, but that was either too dangerous a secret or an urban myth because nobody knew much about it. Not even the clan elders.

"You alright Itachi? You seem distracted and auntie Mikoto's been pretty worried."

Itachi looked up to see the smiling face of his cousin and best friend from when he was growing up. Shisui Uchiha was by no means as accomplished as his cousin but he was chunin and happy with that. He'd once been referred to as the most skilled of the Uchiha clan having activated his sharingan at age 9 and accomplished two tomoe but Itachi has outstripped by activating his sharingan at age 8 and was already at three tomoe by the time he took the chunin exam at age ten.

Shisui didn't begrudge him that though, if anything he was proud to be related to him.

"I'm fine," Itachi replied.

It unnerved him though that the Naruto before them had mentioned Sasuke. He hadn't seen his brother in three years let alone here Naruto speak about him. The blonde had barely noticed when their teammate had been replaced with another. Sakura had been so wrapped up in the town hero by this point that she hadn't noticed either.

The naïve tag along girl of twelve he'd taught back then hadn't changed much, a little stronger and a few new jutsu but nothing that could really be called progress. She had yet to make the chunin rank.

"You sure, you look like you've seen a ghost," Shishui came in and drew out Itachi's chair from his desk. Itachi himself was sat on the bed.

"It's nothing."

Sensing that his cousin wasn't in the mood to talk Shisui wisely changed topics, "So, how did extra training go?"

Itachi didn't answer and Shisui knew he'd just put his other foot in boiling water.

"You know what, I think I'll leave, I only stopped by to drop off something of auntie Mikoto. See you later Itachi," with a wave Shisui got up and left without another word leaving Itachi alone with his thoughts.

He liked it better that way anyway.

Minato, Tsunade and Kakashi had all arrived at the private ward where Naruto was currently lying fast asleep, blissfully unaware of the nightmare he was causing around him. Minato walked over and pulled down the bed cover and lifted the hospital gown to reveal his stomach. The boy was wearing boxers Minato was glad to see.

It was flat, tanned and bare so Minato pressed his palm to it pushing a little chakra into the boy's stomach. The seal flared up instantly, inky black spirals and symbols painting their way out of the boy's very flesh. Then Minato's vision span and he found himself in a dirty, beaten down hallway. There was the feint sound of dripping from somewhere far off and all the way down the hallway were closed doors.

Carefully he made his way down the corridor, pushing doors open as he went to reveal large, bare, empty rooms until finally he found what he was looking for and dreading to see. The moment his hand fell on the doorknob he knew and as he twisted it, opening the door he could already sense it. The angry, swirling mass of red chakra locked behind huge metal bars held shut by a single paper seal.

Slanted, glowing red eyes narrowed as Konoha's Legendary Yellow Flash stepped through into the huge cavern. Sharp rows of teeth were bared, shiny with saliva and a growl from the beast seemed to shake the very room. Minato stood tall and unafraid though, he had faced this monster before imprisoned it in fact.

"_You filthy human,"_ the fox threw its weight against the bars and the walls shook again. The voice was deep, gravely, old and monstrous. "_let me out of here so I can devour you!"_

"Do you know who I am?" Minato demanded.

"You look like worthless human that imprisoned me in this wretched human child, but you are not the same human," the fox growled again. "But you will meet the fate I had planned for him should our paths cross."

Minato leapt backwards as the long curved, razor sharp claws pushed through the gaps in the bars. The fox roared in anger and hatred and the force of the sound alone sent Minato reeling backwards head over heals until he crashed into the back wall. Minato wiped away the trickle of blood that ran down his chin from his split lip.

"It seems the seal still holds, weakened though it is," he grinned. "The other me you're talking about must have done a pretty good job."

The fox gave a low, dark laugh, "The other you died in his effort, the boy doesn't know anything."

The fox gave another mighty roar and this time Minato found himself flung sharply back into his own mind, the vision of the hospital ward and Tsunade's worried face came back in an instant. Minato swayed on his feet and nearly collapsed but he steadied himself by putting his hands on Naruto's bed.

"It's true, the fox is in there and I think you're right Tsunade," he said.

"Why, what happened?" Tsunade asked.

"The fox, it was smaller than I remember and the seal is different but it's the fox alright. And it said something about another me, that the boy didn't know anything. He said that the other me had died," the last word came out rather shakily.

"Are you alright sensei?" Kakashi asked as he poured a glass of water. Minato accepted gratefully and drank it in one breath.

"Yes, a little dazed perhaps but no worse for wear," he looked down at Naruto's sleeping face, almost believing that none of this was true, that this was his own son but it wasn't. "Take him off the sedatives Tsunade and inform me the moment he wakes up," with that he left.

Kakashi gave a nod to Tsunade and left as well leaving the master medic alone with her most interesting patient.

Tsunade waited until they were both gone before she went and sat on the bed next to Naruto's sleeping form. She reached into a draw beside his bed and from it drew a small, green pendant. She examined it and the drew an identical pendant from around her neck to hold them against each other.

"Why do you have this?" she asked the silent figure on the bed beside her. "Why would I give this to you?"

_With that she put her necklace back on and replaced Naruto's in the draw. She then stood and left._


End file.
